Building Higher Trust 113 The Magic Ingredient

February 23, 2023

I have been studying trust in organizations for over 50 years, and I have found the “magic ingredient.” As a Division Manager in a large manufacturing firm, I studied the impact of trust on performance. After many years of comparing groups within my division, I came to a conclusion.

Trust is the magic ingredient

The success of any group rests most on how much trust there is in it.  I observed that high-trust groups were able to tackle difficult tasks and come away successful. In low-trust groups, even simple daily challenges became huge obstacles.

The difference was so stark that I described trust as the magic ingredient. Groups that could maintain trust seemed to have a shortcut to success.  Other groups where trust was lacking were always struggling to survive.

Trust was a magic ingredient for leaders too

I observed that leaders of high-trust groups found that leadership was a blast. They were allowed to be human beings and make an occasional error. The people would cut these leaders some slack. Basically, leaders of high-trust groups were having more fun.

The other side of the coin contains misery.  Leaders of low-trust groups are always miserable because people in the organization are out to get them. I picture the people in low-trust groups to be like coined snakes ready to strike at the least provocation.

Let’s take a look at some specific functions to enhance the contrast.

Communication

Leaders of low-trust groups had to watch every word. If they did not spin every statement correctly people would misinterpret the message. They had to rehearse every communication to see if there was any way to get the wrong impression. There were several instances where people heard the leader say what they thought he was going to say. They would hear bad news even if the message was basically good news. Getting to a precise way of communicating was always a chore.

On the flip side, leaders of high-trust groups could relax and be authentic. If something did not sound right, people would ask for more clarity. The leader was not subject to a trust withdrawal.

Conflict

Low-trust groups had to battle inter-group conflict at every turn. That is because the individuals had to continually watch for what other people were trying to do to them. The energy wasted in just trying to keep things civil was staggering.

In high-trust groups, the focus was on what they were trying to accomplish. The group members didn’t have to protect their interests, so they were more creative and cooperative with others.

Productivity

Since low-trust groups spent their resources fighting each other; they were less productive. They were always under the gun because they did not get things done efficiently.

My observation of high-trust groups is that they were at least twice as productive as low-trust groups. They were continually receiving praise and gratitude from upper management due to their output.  More than sheer output, they made it seem easy because it was for them.

Conclusion

The contrast between high and low trust groups could not be starker. That is why I am writing this series of blogs.  I want leaders to know that the element of trust is the magic ingredient for any group to be successful.

It is curious that when I look into low-trust situations it is usually the behaviors of the leader that are causing the problem. Let me put it more directly. Most leaders do not recognize that their behaviors are the root cause of the problems that are holding them back. Leaders set the tone for everything that happens in an organization.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

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Building Higher Trust 112 Empowerment and Trust

February 17, 2023

Empowerment and trust usually go hand in hand. It is like looking at two sides of the same coin. Organizational redesign for more empowerment can be an incredible way to improve the performance of a group. If poorly done, it can lead to a loss of morale and productivity.

Where is the magic to achieve empowerment and trust?

The magic is in how you approach the problem as a leader. Trust is essential for a great result. As a Division Manager in a large manufacturing organization, I had the opportunity to witness some fantastic productivity improvements based on trust.

A classic and real example

A Classic example occurred in a small, isolated work group in John’s department.  He had done some cost benchmarking. He needed to make a significant shift in productivity to be competitive.  He was considering a consolidation of this group with another in a different building. 

He bounced the idea off the workers and, of course, it was pretty unpopular.  Calling all 19 people in the group together, he gave them two weeks to come up with an alternate plan. Lacking that, he would go forward with the consolidation. The trick here is that John put the power in their hands, but he provided help to them.

John provided a facilitator so the team could meet efficiently to work on the problem. They worked for two weeks while keeping up with production. 

The plan based on empowerment and trust

Finally, they called John and me in at 6 AM one day to report progress.  They revealed a plan that, in three months, would improve quality and delivery while reducing the crew size from 19 down to 9 people.  They wanted to know if they had our “permission” to do it.  I told them it felt like I had just caught the winning touchdown pass in the Management Super Bowl!

They had removed an organization layer and eliminated some straight-day jobs.  Everyone had to get additional training and give up some perks they were previously enjoying.  In the end, they got down to 10 people rather than 9, but you never saw a more energized and dedicated bunch of people.  They owned the change because they had invented it.

Nobody had to leave the company

One key was that John guaranteed people upfront that we would find good jobs for anybody freed up by the exercise.  People trusted that promise based on John’s integrity.

Empowerment and trust

Without that condition, the result would have been tepid rather than red-hot.  Also, without a trained facilitator, things would have degenerated into a kind of organizational food fight. The team felt empowered to make changes. This is an excellent use of a consultant: to keep people on task.  Ultimately, trust was the key that unlocked the door to excellence.  John trusted the workers, and they trusted him. It worked!

Conclusion

By allowing the team to solve the problem, John empowered them and trusted them to deliver. A 50% productivity improvement in 3 months was a fantastic result.  When you add improved quality and delivery, it was a home run.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Building Higher Trust 111 Your Values and Vision

February 9, 2023

It is vital to keep your values and vision current and visible. I often witness organizations that do not do this.  When I ask if they have values, they start talking about honesty, integrity, customer focus, or employee satisfaction.  I get some vague statements about ethics thrown in for good measure. 

Then I ask where I can find the written values. Sometimes the leader can pull something out of a drawer where the items resemble what I just heard.

More often. I hear, “the values are posted in the conference room and the break room.” I go and look, and there is indeed a slightly-torn or smudged paper on the bulletin board. If I ask the employees about them, they tell me “Oh yes, we have the values posted, but “they” don’t follow them.”  If the posted values are not followed, they do more harm than good. They serve as a reminder of the hypocrisy.

Vision and values must be in play every day

There are several organizations where the words are in the minds of the executives but not even written on paper, let alone implanted in the hearts of the employees where they can do some good.

Three rules with values are 1) write them down, 2) talk about them at every chance, and 3) follow them. If you miss any of these steps, then you are forfeiting most of the power of having values. Actually, values do you the most good when they are difficult or expensive to follow. People see and appreciate the effort to live by the values.

Vision is the same

The exact same discussion applies to the vision of an organization.  If the vision is not committed to writing and included in discussions with employees, it loses its power. It does not direct the daily activities of the population to move toward the future with confidence.

Expand the publication to the entire strategy

These two things are most important to write down. I believe the entire strategy should be committed to written form. That would include the following things at a minimum:  vision, mission, values, purpose, behaviors, strategies, tactics, and measures.

Many organizations make a production out of generating the strategy. The resulting tome is way too heavy for the employees to lift, let alone read and understand.

Compress the result to a single sheet

I usually reduce the entire strategic framework to a single sheet of paper. On the front side, we have the purpose, vision, mission, values, and behaviors. On the reverse side, there is a neat array of the top 4-6 strategies. Too many strategies defeats the purpose of focusing effort. Then you have a few major tactics for each strategy. Finally, what measure do we intend to use to track our progress for each tactic? I like to laminate the document as a way to indicate legitimacy.

Can do in a couple days

Usually, the entire process of developing the single sheet framework takes from 8-16 hours of interface time with a management team. That is enough time to engage everyone in the process. It is far less that the burdensome six-to-18-month process that creates hatred for the process among the staff.

Summary

Drive an efficient and high-energy process to create the strategy for your organization. Commit the resulting framework to paper and refer to it every day. You will have a much higher chance of being a successful organization.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

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Building Higher Trust 110 Five Cs To Initiate Trust

February 2, 2023

Can you initiate trust with a new acquaintance by focusing on five Cs? The answer is YES! In this article, I explain that five concepts that begin with the letter C will help initiate trust.

This article is a companion to one that I wrote at the start of this series. That article was entitled “Planting a Seed of Trust in the First 10 Seconds.” The idea here is that an initial relationship of trust is established.  Full, mature trust does still take time to grow. That is because people need to witness your consistency over time.

You can initiate trust quickly

Most people believe that trust takes years to kindle. Trust requires that you have the opportunity to interface over an extended period of time. I disagree with this analysis. I think trust can kindle very quickly between two individuals. There is even a name for this, “swift trust,” coined by Debra Meyerson. After that, trust grows or shrinks based on the interactions that occur between individuals over time.

You can initiate trust in only a few minutes of time if the proper conditions are present. Trust rests on the relationship between two individuals. If you are going to trust me, you need to be personally convinced that I fulfill 5 conditions that all begin with the letter C.

These items form the basis for trust to start. We convey them from one person to another in short order. The first two conditions I borrowed from Stephen M.R. Covey’s bestselling book, The Speed of Trust. The rest of the list is from my personal experience and background.

Here are the 5 C’s to initiate trust

Competence – You must be convinced that I know what I’m doing to view me as credible. I pass the competence test if you believe I can deliver on my statements. If you doubt that I can deliver, then you will remain skeptical until you test me.

Character – Do I have the integrity to do what is right? You need to feel that I am not duplicitous. I will stand up for what I believe is right. It does not mean that we always need to agree on every point.  You need to see me as a person of high moral and ethical fiber before trusting me.

Consistency – You need to be convinced that I will do what I say. This characteristic normally takes people a long time to test. It doesn’t need to take months for someone to be convinced that I am consistent. You can discern the value of consistency through the way I word my intentions. Even the body language I use to chat with you contains clues. Am I relaxed and genuine, or am I uptight and rigid?

The ability to follow through with intended actions is easy to spot. You can also get back to the other person if conditions change. It is also easy to observe a blowhard who says nice things but has little fortitude to actually do them.

For example, if I promise to send you an article and I ask for your card, that signals my intent to follow up.

Congeniality – You are not going to grant initial trust to someone who comes across as morose or stern. To gain your trust, I need to smile and show that it comes from the heart.

A genuine cordial facial expression when first meeting a person is a prerequisite for trust to kindle. If I put on a false smile it is the kiss of death. It pegs me as someone who cannot be trusted at all.

Care – The final “C” in this handful is to project that I really do care about you. Again, people might say it takes years to show I do care about you. I disagree. Care can be displayed in hundreds of ways, just as selfishness can be worn like a suit of armor.

Giving deference to the feelings of others is an important component of Emotional Intelligence. People who have low Emotional Intelligence have the biggest blind spots, according to Daniel Goleman. If I come across as a phony, I will have little ability to detect this in myself. You will usually be able to see it quickly.

Conclusion

I cannot fake the 5 C’s. Words, actions, tone, and body language must all be consistent.  To initiate trust in just a few minutes, pay attention to the 5 Cs. It is then up to me to remain consistent and keep building on that base over time.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

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Building Higher Trust 109 Your “Stop Doing” List

January 26, 2023

Do you have a “Stop Doing” list? From time to time, we all get overwhelmed with activities. Most of us turn to a “To Do” list to manage our priorities.  There are many systems that help keep people organized and assist them in making the most of their time. In this article, I suggest that having a specific “Stop Doing” list can be just as helpful at managing time as having a “To Do” list.

A Stop Doing list helps conserve time

Time is the most precious commodity we have. What makes something precious is comprised of two factors.  The thing must be of intrinsic value to us, and it must be scarce.  Diamonds and coal are chemically identical and both have intrinsic value to us. Diamonds are very hard to find, so their value is infinitely higher. Time has value to us because it is all we have to live with. Nobody can get more than 24/7 each day. Therefore, time has extremely high value; it is both important and scarce.

Making decisions on your stop-doing list

The world serves up a huge smorgasbord of activities every day. I am sure that each person reading this article has a huge number of things to do today.  Carving out a couple minutes to absorb this information means that something else is not going to get done. 

We normally make decisions on our use of time thousands of times a day. Most of these decisions are unconscious. It becomes more critical to make the right decisions in times of peak load.  I am pretty sure you have not had a day this year in which you could just kick back and do whatever you wanted for the entire day. We manage our time by prioritizing the things we must do or want to do. 

Rarely do we take an objective look at the time-burning habits that are not really logical. Sometimes we do these by rote and don’t think about it. An example of this might be putting on makeup. For me, I have a habit of checking my blood pressure ten times in a row each morning and averaging the numbers to arrive at a data point for today. One time would probably be sufficient.

Purge your list

If we had a system of bringing our time-consuming habits up for conscious decision regularly, we might be able to purge several things off our list. It is a gut reaction to sort the things we want to do in terms of priority, but it takes specific effort to focus on time wasters and cull out the ones we can live without.

Experiment

Try this experiment. Sit down in a quiet place and try to identify at least 10 things you could stop doing this week. If you find the exercise helpful, you might want to make a date with yourself. Do it a couple of times a year to hone your “Stop Doing” list.  You will have a wonderful feeling of really managing the most important commodity in your life: your time.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 

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Building Higher Trust 108 Humility

January 20, 2023

Humility is a key characteristic for everyone to embrace. True humility is not seen often in the ranks of leaders. Ego, rather than humility, seems to be the more common trait in management circles. Let’s examine why this is and suggest some ideas to modify the pattern.

Anyone who has reached a leadership position has a tale to tell. He or she got there through a series of steps and events.  Some steps were deserved, and some of them were just being in the right place at the right time. Another common factor is knowing the right people.

Getting ahead

It usually takes a lot of energy and talent to get ahead. People in the organization may look at a newly appointed leader and remark how they “lucked into it.” As Earl Nightingale said in Lead The Field, “Luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity.” There should be some level of personal satisfaction for a leader when he or she emerges from the pack and is elevated. We should celebrate this kind of milestone.

The tendency toward inflated egos

Upon reaching a higher level, the leader quickly becomes aware of an increase in power and influence. I once got a big promotion, and a Dilbert-like IT employee in the new organization started calling me “thou” and “thee” until I put an end to it. It is very easy to let the trappings or perks of a higher level inflate one’s ego. There is nothing wrong with appreciating one’s self-worth if it is kept in proper perspective. It is also important that the person also appreciates and publicly acknowledges the worth of others.

Unfortunately, many leaders do lose perspective and start acting like jerks. Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert Cartoon Series, would have needed to make a living in some other field if not for the hubris of leaders.

How humility helps

The role of humility in creating and maintaining trust in organizations was well documented by Jim Collins in Good to Great. Collins identified passion and humility as two common traits of the most effective leaders – he called them “level 5 leaders.” Here is a very brief video clip of Jim Collins describing the difference between a level four leader and a level five leader.

It would be easy to say, “don’t be too full of yourself,” and show the benefits of humility. Unfortunately for the narcissist leader, changing the thought patterns and behaviors is extremely difficult.

How to fix it?

If it is so important, what can we do about it? Is there a kind of anti-hubris powder we can sneak into the orange juice of over-inflated executives? Oh, if it was only that easy.

What we are talking about here is re-educating the boss with influence from below. We want to let him know that his own attitude is getting in the way of trust. Reeducating the boss is always tricky. It reminds me of the adage, “Never wrestle a pig…you get all muddy and the pig loves it.”

Work to educate the leader

One suggestion is to form a kind of support network with the employees and leaders on the topic of leadership. Book clubs where employees along with their leaders take a lunch hour once a week to study the topic can begin a constructive dialog.

You can’t just march into the boss’s office and say, “You are a total narcissist, knock it off and get down from your pedestal.” You need to use a water drop treatment with lots of Socratic Questions.

Conclusion

If you are a leader, try this little test. If you think you are a humble servant leader all the time, you are probably off-base. Chances are you have some serious blind spots. Go and get it checked out! If your mental picture is one of an imperfect person trying to learn more about how to lead, then you are probably okay.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 

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Building Higher Trust 107 Trust Cultures

January 12, 2023

Over the past forty years, I have studied trust cultures. I have witnessed literally hundreds of organizations and seen the best of the best and the other extreme. Throughout this conquest, I have kept notes on the differences and similarities in order to draw some conclusions.

High trust cultures

The atmosphere in high-trust organizations is refreshing and light. People enjoy coming to work because they have fun and enjoy their coworkers. They are also more than twice as productive as their counterparts in lower trust areas. They honestly feel like winners.

People rarely leave high-trust organizations, because they are aware of how precious their culture really is. High-trust groups still have significant problems to solve, but they do so efficiently and with low acrimony.

Low trust cultures

In groups with low trust, the atmosphere is oppressive. People describe their work as a hopeless string of sapping activities and abuse. These things are foisted upon them by the clueless morons who run the place. Many people are either looking for better employment or simply retired in place. They feel like losers.

Most top leaders understand all of the above. The conundrum is, they sincerely want to build an environment of higher trust. Unfortunately, they consistently do things that take them in the wrong direction. I made a  brief video about my observations of many leaders. The video is entitled “The Role of Leaders.”

Many leaders end up hiring expensive consultants to help create a better environment within their organization. This practice rarely works because the leader does not realize the problem cannot be fixed by an outsider. To fix the problem of low trust, the leader needs to fess up. “The atmosphere around here stinks, and it must be my fault because I am the one in charge. How can I change my own behavior in order to turn the tide toward an environment of higher trust”?

With that attitude, there is a real possibility an outside coach or consultant can help the organization. Unfortunately, most leaders have a blind spot on their own contribution to low trust, so in those groups. there is little hope of a lasting change.

Leader behaviors that build or destroy trust

It is easy to brainstorm a list of a hundred things leaders can do to build trust.  The opposite of these things will destroy trust.  For example, if a leader always walks the talk, then trust will grow.  If the leader does not walk the talk, then trust will be destroyed. In my classes, I share a couple dozen of the big things that build or destroy trust. If you are interested, here is an article on “Trust Behaviors” that names several of these factors.

There is one factor that enables all the other factors to work well. I believe it is the key leadership behavior to build trust.

Create psychological safety

If you have built psychological safety, then people in your organization know they can share their true feelings without fear of being put down. Once you build that level of confidence with all your people, maintain it. Then all of the other trust-building behaviors work like magic.

As a leader, you build psychological safety by reinforcing people when they are candid. Basically, you make people feel glad they brought up a scary issue. Most leaders cannot reinforce candor consistently, and that is why so many organizations fail to have high trust.

Conclusion

A culture of high trust is precious for any organization.  If you have it, you will succeed and if you don’t you will surely fail.  It is vital to create and maintain high trust in your organization. Leaders create trust by reinforcing candor.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

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Building Higher Trust 106 Trust is a Blanket

January 6, 2023

I believe that the concept of trust is like a blanket in many ways. I am writing this article on a very cold morning deep in December.  A major cold wave gripping the country, makes the thought of a comforting blanket help me feel warmer.

Let’s examine some of the characteristics of a blanket and draw analogies to the concepts of trust to see where this goes. Ever since we climbed out of the womb, the ambient conditions made us uncomfortable. Our mothers would wrap us up in a blanket so we felt safe and warm.

Just like Linus’ blanket

Linus, the character from the Peanuts Cartoon Series, always had his blanket in hand to protect him whenever he needed it.  Over the years we associate safety and comfort with a blanket. We can say the same for trust.  The world can be a scary place at times. The warmth and comfort of a trusting relationship with another person makes it OK.

Blankets provide insulation

The chief function of a blanket is to insulate our skin from cool temperatures.  Our bodies generate heat all the time, but that heat dissipates without some insulation. Similarly, the trust and affection of another person insulate us from some of the harsh realities that exist in our world.

Blankets give shelter

When we need it, a blanket can provide shelter. That is true whether you are sitting in a football bleacher or trying to sleep on the ground as a homeless person.  Trust also provides shelter from emotional challenges. We can fall back on the love and affection of people we trust during dangerous or difficult times. As a blanket is a physical safety net, trust is an emotional safety net. We have support when we need it most.

Blankets can be cleaned

If a blanket becomes soiled, you can have it cleaned and restored to its original utility.  We can also recover damaged trust. I have written several articles on how to heal damaged trust. Here is a recent example of how to Restore Damaged Trust.

Blankets last a long time

It is not uncommon to have a cherished blanket passed down from one generation to another.  I have several blankets that I inherited from my mother when she passed away.  Likewise, trust has an intrinsic value that we can pass from one relationship to another with ease. That property gives rise to the culture of trust that exists in several organizations.

A culture of trust becomes viral

When there is a bond between people in an organization or family, it can easily spread to others and become a viral phenomenon.  That is one way trust is not like a blanket. A blanket is a finite piece of material. Sure, you can sew two blankets together but that does not enhance the intrinsic value the blanket represents. Actually, you would end up tripping on it.  With trust, the more you have the more you can generate and enjoy more benefits.

Conclusion

Many of the characteristics of trust are shared with those of a blanket. One area where they are different is the ability to expand in scope. The ability to grow more trust in any organization is priceless.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

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Building Trust 105 Stupid or Brilliant

December 29, 2022

I do a fun exercise in my leadership classes called “Stupid or Brilliant.” I go through a number of scenarios and specify an action that, on the surface, appears to be stupid. In each case, the loss of control would appear to be devastating from a risk point of view. I ask the participants to vote if the action was stupid or brilliant.

Participants have to vote on Stupid or Brilliant

I give each participant a card that has a big “thumbs down” on one side and a brilliant light bulb on the other.  After considering each scenario I ask the participants to vote with their card without talking.

There are some examples where there is a documented correct answer, but most of the questions can lead to lively debate. Here is an example of a question with a real surprise answer.

Selling Doughnuts in NYC

A doughnut street vendor at the base of a skyscraper in New York City noticed that the line was too long while people waited for him to make change. He was losing customers. He put out a box with change and small bills and a sign that read “In a hurry? Make your own change: I trust you!”

At first glance, putting money out in trust in NYC would be stupid. People could just take the cash and go.  Instead, the vendor found the strategy more than doubled his revenue.  It was brilliant for three reasons:

  1. The throughput of his vending operation increased by 50% because the line moved faster.
  2. People started talking about his trust throughout the building, and they came out to buy from this honest vendor.
  3. Many people would not even take the change. If their total came to $3.75, they would just put in a five-dollar bill and walk away. They did not want to be seen rooting around in the change box.

What appeared on the surface to be a stupid idea turned out to be brilliant in the real world at that time.

Different Stupid or Brilliant situations

Other strategies for trusting people leave room for analysis. For example:
One consultant decided to charge only what the customer felt was appropriate after completing his work.  He would leave the fee totally up to the discretion of the people he was helping.  This tactic defies negotiation logic. It ignores the principle that the value of the service is reduced after the service is rendered. Yet, this consultant generally did very well and often earned large fees. He made more than he would have if he had negotiated a firm price before doing the work.

A work example

One organization was forced by market conditions to do some downsizing.  They decided to allow the impacted people to continue to use their old office. They used their computers, and cell phones while they were looking for work elsewhere.  There were a few stated rules about not being disruptive and honoring professional behaviors while on the premises. Other than that, the severed employees were treated the same as the ones retained. There was a risk, but the company found that the benefits far outweighed the risks. The company was able to show compassion for the workers at a very low cost.

For sure this is stupid

You can carry blind trust to an extreme where a strategy is truly stupid. The owner of a bar does not charge patrons per drink but asks each customer to keep track of what he consumed. He will pay at the end of the night.  Obviously, most people vote for this as a “stupid” strategy. On the other hand, it would make an interesting experiment, because it may be possible that customers would pay more than required on average rather than pay less.

The point is that when we really do trust people to do the right thing, they often respond in ways that defy conventional wisdom.  We derive that logic from a social norm based on a controlling philosophy. Most people react with integrity and gratitude when we extend trust to them. That is why it is better to trust people working from home and not track their daily output.

I have developed what I call the “First Law of Trust.”  It is: “If you are unhappy with the level of trust others have toward you, the first corrective action is to find ways to extend trust more to them.” Trust is reciprocal in nature, so the best way to receive more trust is to give more. Try this technique with the people in your life, and you will see a dramatic increase in trust.  Often what seems like an unwise risk to take will turn out to be rewarded by far greater loyalty than you can imagine.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 

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Building Higher Trust 104 Trust and Santa Claus

December 20, 2022

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus?  I think it depended on your family situation.  If you grew up in a household with several children, then it was probably early. The word about Santa being a figment would cascade from schools through your siblings.

Conditions that cause loss of trust in Santa Claus

If your parents were consistent with the message about Santa, then it is likely you believed for a longer period. I can remember my father on Christmas Eve.  He would stand in the doorway of my bedroom and drum his fingers on the side of the door sill. His hands were out of sight to me from my bed. He would say, “I think I can hear the hoofs up on the roof now.”

It seemed illogical that the fat man could slide down a chimney with a heavy bag of toys. It was especially puzzling when we had a fire going in the fireplace. My trust in Santa was dashed by the time I was about five or six. I think the atmosphere at school had a lot to do with killing off the myth.

My brothers and I played along with the game for several years after we knew the truth.  Why kill off a figment that ends up bringing toys into the house? We actually did not trust that Santa was real, but we played the game because it was to our advantage.  It was like a faux trust.

The faith came back 

Today, when I see the faces of small children when Santa visits, I begin to have faith again. I am firmly convinced that Santa Claus is alive and well.  It is the concept rather than the person that makes it real for me.

There is a lot of pain and uncertainty in our world these days, especially for children. To have the jolly fat man in a red suit visit the place is some comfort.  It does not matter that you know it is really Uncle Neddy dressed like Santa. The magic still works. You trust in the goodness of the image rather than the person.

In the spirit of the holiday season, let’s all rejoice that Santa is very much alive and at work in our hometown. It will make our lives just a little brighter, and that is a blessing in these challenging times. Don’t let anyone tell you that Santa Claus is a myth.

If you truly believe in the concept of Santa Claus, it is worth it to get out of bed and enjoy your day.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 

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